PubMed ID: 24739461
Author(s): Kushner BJ. The benefits, risks, and efficacy of strabismus surgery in adults. Optom Vis Sci. 2014 May;91(5):e102-9. doi: 10.1097/OPX.0000000000000248. PMID 24739461
Journal: Optometry And Vision Science : Official Publication Of The American Academy Of Optometry, Volume 91, Issue 5, May 2014
Strabismus surgery in adults achieves satisfactory alignment with one operation in approximately 80% of patients, depending on the specific nature of the problem. Risks of adult strabismus surgery are relatively low, and serious complications are anecdotal and rare. Even if the strabismus has been long-standing, most adults will experience some improvement in binocular function after strabismus surgery. Consequently, adult strabismus surgery should not be considered merely cosmetic in most cases. In esotropic patients, this improvement typically takes the form of an expansion of binocular visual fields; however, some patients may also regain stereopsis. There are many psychosocial benefits to adult strabismus surgery. This is reflected in the finding that the majority of adults surveyed with strabismus would trade a portion of their life expectancy to be rid of their strabismus.